Project information

Livability Flourish Project

People’s health and wellbeing improves when they have friends and good support. Livability’s horticultural therapy programme brings people with physical disabilities, mental health and dependency issues to work together and form a community that grows and sells food to the wider community in Dorset.

It is a continuous programme and people are on the programme for six months. We are wanting to raise money so we can keep this essential service going.

Charity information: Livability

Need

Many people in society feel isolated and inclusion in their community is difficult. Disabled people are often the most isolated people in society. In the UK, 3.7 million people living in families where at least one member is disabled, are in relative income poverty. Research shows that making new friends and feeling part of a community has a positive impact on life and health outcomes. That’s why the Flourish programme at our Dorset based wellbeing centre Livability Holton Lee is so important.

Solution

Flourish helps people we support learn new life skills and grow confidence through gardening and time outdoors. Using positive psychology we focus on: Positive emotions, doing an activity which is engaging and absorbing, develop relationships with people, gain a feeling of self-worth through meaning and purpose when they help others, A sense of accomplishment through gardening everyday and the activities they take part in. E.g. when they plant a seed they will be able to see it flourish and grow

Aim 1

Activities

» Sow seeds in Spring, move them outside, water/net, harvest and then pick and sell them » Work in a team through a buddying system allowing them to be able to make friends and learn from one another » Conservation: conserving the environment, protecting the heath, plant hedges, drain ditches

What success will look like

measure and monitor individuals wellbeing at the beginning middle and end of the project. Develop bespoke wellbeing indicators through a peer led approach and have questionaires.

Impact

Success will be a greater range of work experience activities and ensure volunteers have choice and participate in horticulture, conservation, landscaping, small construction projects and grounds maintenance projects. An increase in mindfulness sessions available to volunteers as part of their wellbeing development and be able to offer all volunteers access to sessions each day over the last few months.

Risk

We are seeing an increase in referals for people with dementia and This change will require additional staff training. We are also seeing an increase in individuals presenting with mental health illness some of whom are also experiencing homelessness. Due to this we have created new partnerships with a range of agencies such as The Richmond Fellowship, The Poole prescription service and Prospects. We are also continuing to strengthen our relationship with a local homelessness charity, Roots2.

Reporting

We will report through our annual review and share the stories of people on the project on our website, through our newsletter and with a through quarterly email report detailing the on going activities and progress.

Beneficiaries

Why Us?

Livability exists to tackle barriers in society that often impact disabled and vulnerable people the hardest. We are a national Christian disability charity, providing support to disabled and disadvantaged people.
Our approach and ethos focuses on individual’s physical and mental health, and supports people to live life to the full. Experienced in rehabilitation and improving wellbeing, particularly supporting adults with mental health and disabilities has already accumulated at Holton Lee.